Improvement in the manufacture of water-proof leather



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ROBERT SPONOUSE, OF JERSEY SHORE, PENNSYLVANIA. Letters Patent No. 64,589, dated JVIay 7, 1867.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, ROBERT SPONOUSE, of Jersey Shore, in the county of Lycoming, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and improved Water-Proof Composition for Leather; .and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of its application and use.

The nature of my invention consists of a composition which I use in the process of tanning leather for making it water-proof, and its application to boot and shoe wear manufactured from the same, as a combined water-proof composition and polish. It will not make any leather impervious to Water, except such as has been tanned by the use of the composition therewith. I

To enable any one skilled in the art to make and use my composition,'I will proceed to'describe the manner in which it is applied.

In the selection of hides I take those which are dry only, as green hides are more porous. A solution of lime is made, care being taken not to make it too strong, for if too much lime is used it will swell the leather,

and thus render it porous, soft, and spongy. The leather is then placed in the solution, as ordinarily, and when all animal or extraneous matter has been expelled therefrom,'it is baited low in the usual manner with the proper decoction, in order to extract the lime from the same, as clean as possible, so that the tannin will penetrate it. The upper leather and kip hides are handled in sweet liquor only, as sour liquor will swell them. When about three-fourths tanned, the leather is shaved and thrown into sour liquor and allowed to remain-for a week. The leatherduring that time is handled every day, and taken out and scoured a little, after which the flesh side is stuii'ed with dubbing applied milk-warm, composed of the following ingredients, viz: tanners oil, four parts; flaxseed oil, one part; tallow, two parts; care being taken not to'stufi the leather too thick or heavy with the dubbing. Tho :leathei isthen folded up tight and put into a close box and allowed to remain for forty-eight hours, so that the stufiing will enter the pores. A strong solution of bark is made in a vat, in which the leather is then placed with the flesh side down, in order that the solution will tan in from the grain side. By this operation the stuiling and the oil will be tanned with .the leather. It is then permitted to lie in the vat about six weeks, when it is taken out and scoured and allowed to get about half dry. The following ingredients, with the proportions of each given, are then mixed and applied milk-warm to the leather, viz tallow, beef or sheep, one pound; tann'crs oil, one and a half pound; beeswax, three ounces; castor oil, four ounces. The leather is then again tightly folded and put into a close box and allowed to remain forty-eight hours. The same dubbing,- composed of the above ingredients just mentioned, is stuiied on the grain side for wax finish, and the same again applied on the flesh side for grain finish, pure tanners oil being used for this side. 1 For the finish, or blacking for wax finish, take lamp-black, one pound, and apply dubbing again on grain side. The following ingredients are mixed .with'thosc hereinahove described, viz: beef gall, one; India rubber, one and a half ounce. Oil enough is added. to'make the same of the proper consistency. The rubber must not be dissolved in alcohol or spirits of turpentine, as'it will injure the leather, but cut into strips and ignited, and the oil collected therefrom used. In the dubbing this will make a fine finish.

The ingredients herein described, and as combined in the manner inwhich they are used and applied in the process of tan'nings constitute my water-proof composition for leather. The composition is applied the same as other blackingito aboot or shoe, and'will not only give a fine polish to it, but keep it soft and pliable, so as to make it easy for the foot.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- I The composition specified in the process of tanning the leather, and its application and use to the manufactured article, substantially in the manner and for the purpose as herein described. 1

v ROBE T SPONGUSE.

Witnesses:

E. B. Penman, E. V. PARKER, 

